OMG, the chicks like the nasty stuff, too!

Following the sweeping success of softcore sensation Fifty Shades of Grey, the lamestream media is figuring out that mommies and other normal-seeming ladies like to read about sex—in public. Whoa. What's next? Women having sex for reasons other than reproduction? Hold onto your hats!

The Wall Street Journal investigates the scandalous new trend of women using their e-readers to disguise the tawdry nature of their reading materials, allowing them to indulge in these illicit tales just about anywhere. And they find that ladies everywhere are plunging deep into the bosom of the genre known as "romantica"—sexy romance novels read on electronic devices. These tantalizing tales feature the kind of love stories chicks dug back when we were just plain readers, not e-readers. But now, in addition to the oodles of sex scenes, they have lots of pop culture-type of stuff too. For instance, you might choose to dive into the pages of Flat-Out Sexy, which is Nascar-inspired and, "depicts the torrid attraction between a rookie driver, Elec, and Tamara, the widow of a beloved driver who died in a crash." Sounds like enough to drive any woman cray-zay.

Whether you like your sex scenes all loaded down with romance and HEA (Happily Ever After), which many of these stories have plenty of, or whether you prefer dirty whorish sex with no lurve involved, you can soak it up via your Kindle or iPad free from the judging eyes of your fellow subway riders or soccer practice watchers. As Brenda Knight of erotica publisher Cleis Press said, e-readers "are the ultimate brown paper wrapper."

Women, being the crafty, clever little minxes that we are, figured this out all by ourselves and have been purchasing electronic erotica with increasingly frequent, rhythmic thrusts of our finger onto the "buy now" button. Kelly Gallagher, vice president of Bowker Market Research, reports that nearly 40% of all new romance books purchased are in digital form. (For reference, it's about 20% for most other adult trade genres.) Cleis Press says their digital sales have grown 30 percent since they started in 2008. That's a lot of electronically torn bodices. (source)

While the porn discussed above is of the literary kinds, I read somewhere that something like 40% of those perusing hardcore porn online are female.

Whether you are male or female, how do you feel about the idea that women are digging porn?

Replies to This Discussion

The idea that "women liking and enjoying porn is weird" is about as logical as saying that female dogs don't like to chase cars like male dogs do. We're human beings. And by the evidence of a population of 7Billion people, I believe it's safe to say that EVERYONE LIKES SEX!!!!

What makes you say that? Simply because I chose this article as a topic for discussion? I assure you, it's not "old news" to everyone. I belong to a Facebook group, Feminism is for Everybody, which has a lot of sex worker feminists. I myself worked in the porn industry for about 15 years as a photographer.

It's not personal that I consider this old news. I don't have it out for you, Unseen. It's just no big secret that women love their smut...at least among women and those close to them. I think it's funny that society seems to be waking up to the "new trend," somewhat after the fact. It's a good sign, I think, that women's sexual interests aren't being ignored by mainstream society.

I asked if you've ever read anything else on that website because sex-positive stories on feminist websites generate a lot, I mean, a shit-ton, of hits from people who normally wouldn't go near feminist blogs. Given the great amount of protest and hand-wringing inspired by any topic broaching sexism/equality in the atheist community, I have healthy skepticism regarding male atheists engaging with feminism. I hope that my expectations change.

I'm glad you support inclusion of women who work in the sex industry in the movement for equality--feminism is for everybody. It's good to join groups like that to encourage acceptance and awareness...but I myself have had "virtual" membership to dozens of causes, yet I don't consider myself an expert on all of them. Nor do I tout them as proof of my bona fides. So, I guess I'll ask again: ya ever read anything else on Jezebel?

I know how to put an "o" after an "n." Do I visit Jesebel daily? No, because I visit a lot of sites every day and spend probably 6 hours a day on here. Jesebel isn't the only source for information on women, feminism, or just plain old news. Not by a longshot. Jesebel is a favorite, though, and I certainly visit it several times a week, since you asked.

My answer was implicit in the previous reply, but since you need it spelled out to you, there you go. While I don't visit Jesebel daily, it is hardly the only source for issues related to women on the Internet. So, I'm not sure what the point of your question was. Clarify, please.

Belle, my local grocery store has an aisle with magazines and paperbacks. I've passed a rack with the complete series of novels by that writer. I could pick it up and if I didn't want a cashier to know I was buying it, I could simply have done a self-checkout.

Besides, if you have an ereader or even a computer you should be able to go to the Kindle or Nook stores and download the book without even leaving home.

Well, keep your eyes open the next time you're in the local Safeway or Albertson's or whatever your local grocery store happens to be. I bet you'll find it in their magazines section and can just do a self-checkout. However, you might just try being brave and go through a regular checkout line. You're not alone: it's a massive mainstream best-seller.